Kindle Touch - first thoughts

[Quake1028]

So can you tap to page turn as well as swipe?

[vigna04]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I think the biggest deciding factor would be how much you use the keyboard. I never used the keyboard and welcomed touch. I also like having no physical buttons. I find it easier to tap the screen one handed. Moving my thumb to the very edge for the page turn buttons threw my one handed holding balance off.

I haven't tried x-ray yet but it seems like a neat feature that is only available on the Touch.

If you take notes....KK might be better.
If you highlight passages......KT might be better as highlighting is pretty easy with touch.

They are all for sale in Best Buy so you could go try the Touch and see what you think.

I think I will go check it out, thanks.

[mewmartigan]

Originally Posted by Quake1028

So can you tap to page turn as well as swipe?

Yes, tapping or swiping left/right will turn the page.
swiping up/down will jump a chapter.

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by Blog Kindle

Yep. Gone completely. Only current location and percentage numbers are there.

I dont like this. I like to end my readings at the end of chapters, and some books I read have long chapters. The progress bar helps me to decide when to stop reading for the night. Come on Amazon, more options are better.

[thebestjeter]

Originally Posted by shinew

++ X-Ray feature is awesome!


I think I'm probably going to keep the Touch, simply because the X-Ray feature alone out-weighs all other cons.

But how it works? I'm really curious. Is it only for Amazon books? Does the book have to have something particular enabled by the publisher?

[blue_skies]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You get an email from Amazon showing you if it's gift what you need to do so it won't do that.

Ah, I see. Thank you for the explanation Blossom. That's good to know.

[shinew]

Originally Posted by thebestjeter

But how it works? I'm really curious. Is it only for Amazon books? Does the book have to have something particular enable by the publisher?

There're quite few demos you can find online to see how it works, you can just google it. And yes it's only for amazon bought and library borrowed books through whisper sync, personal document will not work.

As far as I know, it's not something publisher enabled, it's purely depending on amazon on what books they decide to have them x-rayed. Amazon is still rolling out the feature, so not every book has it as it takes some computing power to generate the file.

One interesting thing is that I've looked at the x-ray file a bit, technically you *could* copy the XRAY file and use it for another book with identical ASIN, or edit the XRAY file to change its ASIN, as the file itself is not DRMed. Although the book needs to be exactly identical to the XRAY enabled book for it to be useful, because each reference/entry are associated to the location of the words in that particular book. The only realistic use I can see is to copy the file for identical non-DRMed books, which is what I've done

Edit: just chatted with CS, apparently it's the publisher who decide whether they want the x-ray feature on their books or not, not amazon.

[madmaxmedia]

Originally Posted by Blossom

The K4 has landscape but the Touch does not. Support said it may be added later but not sure how much I believe it.

I am guessing this means it is on their To Do list, but until it is actually done they can't guarantee it (in case of technical hiccup, etc.)

If they weren't planning it or if it was iffy, a very PR-aware company like Amazon probably would play it safe and just say 'thanks for your input, we will consider it.'

Technically it should be feasible, the Kobo Touch has it (though the Nook Touch does not). It does add work for addtional interface design, perhaps they ran out of time to make it for the launch. The PDF support for the K3 in landscape is very well done, I don't think that was an accident. So I'm sure they're aware that the Touch is currently lacking in this regard.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by Blossom

There is no landscape but there are hints it may come later on. We will see. As for tracking I haven't read up yet on that one but I am staying with my K4.

One of the reasons I backed off getting a KF is that I think that the second iteration will be substantially better than the first, both in terms of software and hardware. Think K1 as compared to K3.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

So that's what that big A little A button is for. Go figure. I've never had the need nor desire to mess with the factory settings. Oh well...

Last week, I went to the eye doc. She put the drops in my eyes, & things were blurry for several hours. No driving. No TV. No magazines or papers. No iPad or iPhone (backlight.)

But all those tiny little letters on my KK were readable at a larger font size.

Occasionally, I have forgotten my reading glasses.

But all those tiny little letters on my KK were readable at a larger font size.

Now & then, I have a pdf. The whole darn page on a 6 inch screen.

But all those tiny little letters on my KK were readable in landscape mode.

[pilotbob]

Just got my Kindle touch out of the box.. and my first impression (which was probably colored by having played with my Kindle first for about 2 hours) is

DAMN is it so small and light! Awesome.

Second impression was.. I'm not sure the screen is all that much better than my Kindle Classic.... but I haven't put them side-by-side in the same light yet either.

I'm gonna let it charge... (what not mains charger included???) overnight and play with it a bit more tomorrow. But, so far very happy... still wondering if I should have got the 3G model though, but I really don't think I need it since you can browse the web unless on wifi now.

BOb

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Just got my Kindle touch out of the box.. and my first impression (which was probably colored by having played with my Kindle first for about 2 hours) is

DAMN is it so small and light! Awesome.

Second impression was.. I'm not sure the screen is all that much better than my Kindle Classic.... but I haven't put them side-by-side in the same light yet either.

I'm gonna let it charge... (what not mains charger included???) overnight and play with it a bit more tomorrow. But, so far very happy... still wondering if I should have got the 3G model though, but I really don't think I need it since you can browse the web unless on wifi now.

BOb

Kindle Classic is that the K1 you are referring to? You have the buy the adapter separate but any microUSB one will work.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Kindle Classic is that the K1 you are referring to? You have the buy the adapter separate but any microUSB one will work.

Yep the good ole original kindle 1, I call it the "classic". Never saw a reason to upgrade until the touch came out.

Yea, I know I can get one, just strange they don't include it. What do you expect for $100 bucks eh?

Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention.... several times as I was holding it, with the bottom resting on my thumb I hit the on/off button and it went off. That button placement is a bit annoying. It should be on the top. But, I guess you can invert it so the power button is on top anyway.

BOb

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yep the good ole original kindle 1, I call it the "classic". Never saw a reason to upgrade until the touch came out.

Yea, I know I can get one, just strange they don't include it. What do you expect for $100 bucks eh?

Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention.... several times as I was holding it, with the bottom resting on my thumb I hit the on/off button and it went off. That button placement is a bit annoying. It should be on the top. But, I guess you can invert it so the power button is on top anyway.

BOb

No you can't it doesn't have the feature. No rotating. No Landscape either.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Blossom

No you can't it doesn't have the feature. No rotating. No Landscape either.

Opps... sorry, meant to post that last about the button in the fire thread.

BOb